Morning Briefing
Summaries of health policy coverage from major news organizations
Brain Tumor Cluster in NJ Investigated
NBC New York: Cancer Cluster Probe at NJ HS Underway After 100+ Diagnosed With Brain Tumors
There are growing concerns over a medical mystery at a New Jersey high school following dozens of diagnoses of brain tumors dating back decades. Every inch of Colonia High School -- from buildings to fields -- is being tested for radiation to determine if there is a link between the school and the number of cancer cases diagnosed amongst former students and staff. Al Lupiano, a graduate of the high school, believes there's a link between the school and brain tumors diagnosed in 108 people over a period of three decades, ending in the early 2000s. (Thompson, 4/18)
Fox News: New Jersey Township Investigating Mysterious 'Time Cohort' Cancer Cluster That May Be Linked To High School
The Township of Woodbridge is investigating a medical mystery of more than 100 cases of brain tumors linked to alumni and staff at Colonia High School in Woodbridge, N.J. that is concerning for a "cancer cluster," according to multiple reports. "A cancer cluster is defined as a greater-than-expected number of cancer cases that occurs within a group of people in a geographic area over a period of time," according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. (Sudhakar, 4/19)
In news about the opioid crisis —
Mississippi Clarion Ledger: Gov. Tate Reeves Signs Laws Targeting Fentanyl Dealers Rising Deaths
Like the rest of the country, Mississippi has seen an alarming increase in the number of fentanyl-related overdose deaths during the pandemic. It's a growing public health crisis that has pushed lawmakers in the state to pass legislation imposing stronger penalties on drug distributors linked to drug overdose deaths. On Tuesday, April 19, Gov. Tate Reeves signed HB 607– better known as Parker's Law. The measure specifically targets the sale of fentanyl and imposed a minimum of 20 years to life in prison on drug dealers connected to overdose deaths resulting from the transaction. (Clark, 4/20)
ABC News: Americans Suffer Deadly Fentanyl Overdoses In Record Numbers
In the first 18 months of the COVID-19 pandemic, a record number of Americans died from drug overdoses. Although months of data is still incomplete, statistics show that most of the deaths involve the potent drug fentanyl. According to the National Institute of Drug Abuse, fentanyl is 50 to 100 times more potent than morphine. In the new series “Poisoned,” which explores the devastation caused by fentanyl, ABC News Live examines how many parents are learning the deadly reality of the drug only after their children have suffered a fatal overdose. (Tienabeso, Delawala, Luna and Yamada, 4/19)
The Hill: Alabama Reaches $276M Settlement In Opioid Cases
Alabama reached a $276 million settlement agreement with Johnson & Johnson, McKesson and Endo Pharmaceutical for their role in the opioid epidemic, the state’s attorney general announced on Tuesday. Under the agreement, Johnson & Johnson will pay $70.3 million to the state this year, while McKesson will pay out $141 million over nine years. Endo will pay $25 million this year. A settlement agreement does not mean an admission of guilt. (Dress, 4/19)
In other public health news —
San Francisco Chronicle: Study: Black Students In Racially Segregated Schools More Likely To Have Alcohol And Behavioral Problems
Black students who attend racially segregated schools are more likely to drink alcohol and have other behavioral problems than their peers, according to a new UCSF study. The findings offer some of the first evidence that the de facto segregation in schools, largely tied to neighborhood demographics, which is common across the Bay Area, leads to significant health and other issues for Black students, and especially Black girls. (Tucker, 4/19)
Billings Gazette: In Need Of A Kidney, Worden Woman Seeks Donor On Busy Streets
Drivers barreling down Grand Avenue in Billings may have noticed a lime green sign emblazoned with an unusual request. Propped up against the hatchback of a Honda Odyssey, block letters spell out “need kidney donor. Please help” followed by a name and phone number. From inside the van, Jean “Chris” Coats, 67, sat surrounded by binders filled with kidney transplant information and homeschooling workbooks. On Monday, she taught her grandson, who has special needs, from inside her van while she waited for someone to respond to her plea. Coats has a genetic disorder, called polycystic kidney disease (PKD) that has caused clusters of cysts to develop in her kidneys. All her life she has tried to carefully manage her diet and lifestyle, making major life decisions with PKD in mind. (Schabacker, 4/19)
AP: 'You Inhaled It': Man Inhales Drill Bit During Dental Visit
A routine trip to the dentist was anything but normal — after an Illinois man inhaled the dentist's drill bit and had to go to the hospital to get it removed last month. Tom Jozsi, 60, told WISN-TV that he was at the dentist getting his tooth filled when he was told he swallowed a tool. ... Dr. Abdul Alraiyes, at Aurora Medical Center-Kenosha in Wisconsin, said the bit was so deep that normal scopes couldn’t reach it. Jozsi said he was told that if it couldn't be taken out, part of his lung would have to be removed. Alraiyes and his medical team decided to try a newer device to remove the object — one that's designed for early detection of cancer. (4/19)
